Things to do in Amsterdam for self travelers
Enjoy self-guided audio tours with included attraction tickets in one appTop sights in Amsterdam
All self-guided activities
Acquaint yourself with the history of Jews in Amsterdam and Anne Frank's fascinating yet tragic story. This 2-hour walking tour will lead you through the Jewish Quarter and the historical city center of Amsterdam. Walk past monuments and buildings still bearing scars from WWII. The tour will bring history to life, giving you a sense of how the city's citizens coped during the occupation and how they moved around in times of alarm, fear, and horror. Travel back in time to the dark days of WWII, learn what life was like during the occupation by the Germans from 1940-1945 and how Anne Frank became an iconic symbol of the brutality of suppression. Hear the story about her diary and how it came to be published by her father, Otto Frank. Discover locations the Dutch resistance offered as secret hiding places to families like the Franks. The tour ends at the Anne Frank House. Please note that the tour doesn't include tickets to the Anne Frank House.
Dive into the world of colors with this in-app audio tour of the Van Gogh Museum! Home to the world’s most extensive collection of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam transports visitors on a fascinating journey through the artist's life. Learn the complete story of Vincent Van Gogh: the context of his paintings, his dreams and ambitions, his emotions, and the myths surrounding him. Listen to fascinating stories and discover the context behind world-famous masterpieces. Get up close with over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and more than 750 letters from Van Gogh. Access a wide range of permanent and temporary exhibitions and see why artists still look up to Van Gogh nowadays. Get to know the person behind the museum's masterpieces and be inspired by the way he looked at the world around himself. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the Van Gogh Museum but is provided by an independent creator. Ticket is provided for customer's convenience at no charge.
In this tour, you will explore a small but incredibly rich of history part of Amsterdam – the Jewish Quarter. With this self-guided tour, you will get up close to its history and traditions. See the magnificent Portuguese Synagogue. Its 17th-century interior is still fully intact and illuminated by hundreds of candles. Discover the Dockworker and the Auschwitz Monument, which are important symbols of the Jewish Quarter. Soak up the atmosphere of Henry Polaklaan Street and find the National Holocaust Memorial. It is the theatre where, during the Second World War, the occupying forces made Jews assemble. Cross the Piet Meerburg bridge named after a resistance fighter in the Second World War and learn more about other such bridges in the area. End your tour at the Waterlooplein Flea Market, immerse yourself in the local culture and, perhaps, buy some souvenirs that will remind you of your journey. Get ready for your journey!
Foam is the museum for photography lovers, whether you are looking to discover contemporary, emerging talents or admire the work of iconic photographers from the previous century. The diversity of exhibitions on display invites visitors to explore the world of photography, ranging from historical vintage prints to contemporary fashion photography. Foam is located in a manor house along the beautiful canals, where the first museum for modern art of Amsterdam was opened in 1863. Hidden behind its historic façade you find a contemporary museum.
“Have I really been here for three hours?” - this might be the only question left unanswered after your visit to this attraction in the heart of Amsterdam. There’s so much to see and do that you’ll wish you had four eyes, like a certain Chinese gentleman you'll meet. Step into this delightful time sink - and good luck with that @#$%&! mystery gate!
Experience the grandeur of "Van Gogh & Rembrandt in Amsterdam", the first-ever large-scale son-et-lumière (sound and light) show housed within a national monument. Despite living 180 years apart, you'll discover that the works of the Baroque master and the Post-impressionist painter are more similar than you might imagine. Explore the connection between the two artists at the exhibition. You'll find out how Van Gogh was captivated by Rembrandt's work and drew inspiration from it. The story will be brought to life by English-language readings of Van Gogh's letters to his brother as you take in work from both painters. Dutch newspaper, Het Parool says of the show: "Spectacular. The entire church is immersed in sunflowers or blossom bushes. Everything moves, flows, whirls, and whizzes over walls and vaults."
Explore the highlights of the Rijksmuseum and the streets of Amsterdam with a self-guided audio tour! Start your journey at the Rijksmuseum, home to the Netherlands’ most iconic artworks. With your included ticket, explore masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and other Dutch masters. Discover the evolution of Dutch art from medieval times to the 19th century and hear the stories behind highlights like The Milkmaid, The Night Watch, and Van Gogh's self-portrait. Learn about the artists, their techniques, and the historical context of each work. After the museum, continue with a self-guided walking tour through Amsterdam’s East Side and historic Jewish District. Start at the Opera House and end at the modern Odebrug, tracing the city’s rich history. Key stops include the Auschwitz Monument, Oosterdok Island, the Resistance Museum, and the Maritime Museum. Pause at the National Holocaust Memorial, admire the Portuguese Synagogue, and enjoy the Hortus Botanicus. This tour combines art, history, and culture, offering a complete, immersive experience of Amsterdam—from its treasured masterpieces to its historic streets. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the Rijksmuseum but is provided by an independent creator. The ticket is included for the customer's convenience at no extra charge.
Welcome to Playhood! Leave your shoes and coats and get comfortable in a cozy lounge. When the play session starts, the cafe and play area open up for everyone. Enjoy coffee and croissants while the kids have fun. They can even make their own pizzas at Good Hood Pizza! The play area has 12 themed houses where kids can create their own stories. Playhood is a place for imagination and fun. Each session lasts 1.5 hours, starting and ending together for a shared, joyful experience.
Get to know the lives of people around the world at Wereldmuseum Leiden, an eye-opening museum of ethnology. Lovingly arranged by cultural region, thousands of objects tell the stories of human experience around the world. Now _that's_ a day well spent!
The Wereldmuseum Amsterdam is housed in an impressive national monument that has colonial roots. As such, colonialism and its repercussions are an important theme. Topics such as world trade, consumption, migration, climate change, and urbanization are also relevant to Amsterdam. The exhibitions in the museum always make a connection between the historical context and current global themes. Since 2023, Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, along with Wereldmuseum Rotterdam and Wereldmuseum Leiden, has been part of the National Museum of World Cultures. This merger brings together nearly 450,000 objects, 260,000 photographic images, and approximately 350,000 documentary items, strengthening the museum's mission to inspire an open view of the world and contribute to global citizenship.
Cities in Netherlands
About Amsterdam
The best indoor tours in Amsterdam for rainy days are:
The must-see attractions in Amsterdam for a first visit are:
Insider tips for visiting Amsterdam
Rolf Laimbock2020When I visit Amsterdam for shopping, I usually skip the obvious chains and head for De 9 Straatjes first. Between the canals, I browse independent fashion, vintage, and design stores tucked into old merchant houses. For sharper local style, I recommend the Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk area in Amsterdam; locals know it for small concept shops, excellent delis, and bookstores. If you visit Amsterdam and like contemporary labels with a more polished feel, Oud-Zuid around Beethovenstraat is a smart choice. In my travel guide Amsterdam, these are the areas I mention most because they combine browsing with some of the best things to do in Amsterdam: walking, people-watching, and café stops.
When I’m in Amsterdam on my own, I always start with a slow walk through the Jordaan early in the morning, before the cafés fill and the canals turn busy. For solo visitors, it’s one of the most rewarding things to do in Amsterdam because you can move at your own pace, browse small galleries, and sit unnoticed with coffee on the Noordermarkt. I often continue to the Begijnhof or the canal belt, which belong high on any list of what to see in Amsterdam. Unlike many tours in Amsterdam, this feels personal. These quieter corners are also among the most memorable attractions in Amsterdam for people traveling alone.
In my travel guide Amsterdam, I usually recommend three full days in Amsterdam as the sweet spot. That gives you time to settle into the rhythm of the city: an unhurried canal walk at dusk, a museum morning, and a neighborhood like De Pijp or the Jordaan where Amsterdam feels lived-in rather than staged. When I visit Amsterdam myself, I find two days can work if you stay central and choose carefully, but four lets you add ferries to Noord or a slow afternoon in the Plantage. For me, the best things to do in Amsterdam reveal themselves when you leave space between plans.
When I want a break from the center of Amsterdam, I head just beyond it to places that still feel connected to the city’s history. The ferry to NDSM is one of my favorite short escapes; in Amsterdam, it gives you a rawer, creative side with street art and old shipyard buildings. I also recommend taking the train to Haarlem for an afternoon, especially for quiet hofjes and excellent small museums. If you’re comparing attractions in Amsterdam with what to see in Amsterdam nearby, these are the places I mention first. Unlike many tours in Amsterdam, they let you feel how the city opens outward into very different neighborhoods and towns.
If you plan to visit Amsterdam around a major event, I’d time it for King’s Day in April or the Grachtenfestival in summer. King’s Day shows Amsterdam at its most exuberant, but I prefer the smaller pockets: families selling old treasures on the streets of the Jordaan and canal-side music drifting through quieter blocks. In my travel guide Amsterdam, I also highlight Open Monumentendag in September, when historic buildings in Amsterdam open doors usually closed to the public. For me, these are among the most memorable things to do in Amsterdam because they reveal the city’s character, not just its postcard image.
When families ask me where to go in Amsterdam, I often suggest the maritime area around Het Scheepvaartmuseum. For me, it’s one of the smartest things to do in Amsterdam with children because the old harbor setting already feels like an adventure, and the full-scale VOC ship draws them in immediately. From there, I like walking toward the Oosterdok, where Amsterdam opens up with wide views and room to move, which parents appreciate. Among the classic attractions in Amsterdam, this area feels less cramped than the canal core. It also works well if you’re deciding what to see in Amsterdam without relying on standard tours in Amsterdam.
In my travel guide Amsterdam, I always say the city makes most sense on foot, with trams for longer stretches. When I visit Amsterdam, I walk the canal belt and Jordaan because distances are shorter than they look, and you notice the details that make Amsterdam special: crooked gables, hidden courtyards, flower boxes leaning over bridges. For neighborhoods like Amsterdam Noord or the eastern docks, I use the free ferry or tram rather than a bike; locals know cycling here can feel hectic if you do not know the rhythm. For me, combining walking with public transport is one of the most practical things to do in Amsterdam.